Richard sylvester



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. v 2 Sheets-Sheet `1.- l E.; SYLVESTER. DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING PICTURES, &c.

Y No. 805,148.` Patented June 7,1898.

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R.SYL`VESTER. DEVICE POR lDISPLAYINGf PICTURES, 85e.v No. 605,148.

Patented June '7, 1891.8.

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UNITEDHSTATES y PATENTv Ormes,

RIcIIARD srLvEsTnacE WASHINGTON, DISTRICT -,or coLUMnIA.

DEVICE VFOR DISPLAYING-PICTU RES, soo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 605,148, dated J' une '7, 1898. Application led October l5, 189'7. Serial Ilo. 655,342. (No-model.)

yTo a/ZZ wcom it may concern:

Beit kncwn that I, RIcHARDSvLvEsTER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Washvin,.,-fton in, the District of. Columbia, have in vented newa'nd Vuseful Improvements inY De- -vices for Displaying Pictures, te., of which the following is a specication.4

My invention relates to an improved device for displaying pictures, advertisements,

photographs, and theilike;l and it has forits object t0provide,a device of this character which shall afford `means for securely storing or ling away such; pictures, advertisements, i or other matter to prevent observation or molestation thereof when it is undesirablewthat they should be seen, and which shall also afford ready Aand convenient means lto facilitate handling of the same for observation or* referencewhen sojdesired. v

' While my invention,broadly considered, is applicable :for use for the purposes to which devices ofthe character above indicated are generally; put, I have! nevertheless designed:

the same I especially for use ,in detective b11- reaus, police quarters, or, in brief, anyplace Vwhere photographs -and'records are kept of criniiinals," my aim `,being to vprovide a lmore convenient vmeans for handling or consultingl such photographs or records-than-.now' exist.

At the police headquarters and detective bureaus of the larger cities of this and, other countries a photograph is taken anda record kept, of 'every criminal arresteds rIfhis rec` ord consists of measurements of various parts of the criminals body,.a memorandum Tof vany peculiar mark hev may carry vwhichljwould tend to distinguish him from others, the color of his eyes and hair, a brief historyof the crimes he may have committed, if s uch are known, and any other matter which would aid inidentifyinghim. This record is usually pasted on the reverse side of the card carrying his photograph, and the whole is'flled away for reference. A system of exchangeexists between the'larger cities of this country, and twophtographs, frontanda Aside View, of a criminal arrested; in` one-city "are ASent to each of the other cities, together. with therecord, These phOtQgaphs accumulate bythe thousands at thevarious headquarters, and some better means vthan i means of'accessfor` reference when desired.

i. Having thus outlined the'special usesjand objectsof my invention, I will; new, proceed to describe the constructionJofthesame in detail, referring tothe accompanying; drawings, in whichd 'zi j f Figure 1 is a `view in elevation of the; complete device with the cover removed.,;Fig. 2 lis `'labplan View showing the cover in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is aside View.. Fig.; his aneularged view of a portion of one of thepicturecarrying frames. Fig. 5 is a s ectionalview onthe line 5 5 of Fig. 4f. Fig.; jislaview, Vpartly in section, showing my preferredineans 'Vforgsupporting the picture-carrying frames in theguide-rails and Fig. 7 is alike view showing'alnodification. i l

The letter A designates thejfrainel of; the device, which comprises twojbcards @d a',

united at their upper ends by yacross;p iece B,

,forming thetop of the device, ,theaparts-1being-,suitably shaped =and nishedz'ztc vv form an ornamental structure designed to be secured in any suitable manner to a'wall or other desired backing. near its top and bottom, respectively, -are Secured to the frameat points guide-rails C D. FJF-hese rails extend outward p from the frame A for the desired distance and have a slight upward inclination. The rail C has in its under surface a retaining-slotl c, and the rail D has iIiits upper surface a similar slot d, the purpose of which will be presently stated; The ksaid guide-rails are approximately semicircular in shape, and at their outer centralgportions are each provided with a curved recessed or depending portion c d, respectively; 'As shown, the guide-rails C D carry at their inner ends plates e c, suitably apertured to receive screws e', bylwhich Vmeans they are attachedto-the frainefAjfand the upper guide-rail Gis further `braced by means of a rod CLE-,connectedthereto'andicarrying at its inner end a plate d3, suitably apertured to receive screws cti-,byiwhich means it is securedjjto the frame A. 'It 'is-obvious, however, that Qt-liermeans than those shown IOO may be employed for securing the guide-rails to the frame without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The letter E designates the picture-carrying frames,which comprise top and side framepicces ff', respectively, and extending between the side frame-pieces and at a distance apart about equal to the length of an ordinary cabinet photograph are cross-strips f2. The picture-carrying frames E may be made of any desired material; but for the sake of lightness I preferably form them of aluminium. The said cross-strips f2 and the end framepieces f are provided at intervals along their length with clips c2, which are provided with a hole to receive a rivet, a two-pron g paperfastener, or other means g for fastening the photographs 71, to the frame, as will more clearly appear by reference to Fig. 5. At their upper and lower ends the frames E are provided in their central portions with headed projections E' F2, the heads of which are retained and work within the retainingr and guide grooves c and (l, respectively. lVhen not in use, the frames carrying the photographs are all slid to one side of the frame A and protected from light and dust as well as molestation by an unauthorized person by means of a swing-cover II, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) which is provided with suitable locking means.

In practice the frames are all numbered, and an index is kept of each photograph, stating by which frame it is carried. Vhen it is desired to refer to a given frame or if all of them have to be examined, the cover is unlocked and swung aside, the frames are moved along the guide-rails to the opposite side of frame A until the required or any desired frame carrying a photograph of a criminal whose record is to be examined is reached, when the frame is moved till the projections E' E2 reach the recessed portions ci d', respectively, where the frame is, so to speak, held in a iixed position, and being pivotally supported between the guide-rails it may be axially rotated to bring the reverse side of the frame to view, by which means the records k 011 the backs of the photographs may be consulted.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification of the means for supporting the frames between the guide-rails. In this construction the frames E are swiveled to metal housings K K', carrying rollers r o", respectively, which engage the guide-rails C D.

The projections E EE do not necessarily have to be moved into engagement with the recessed portions c (W, as the frames may each be rotated at anypoint on the guide-rails, provided each is removed a sufiicient distance from the remaining frames; but said recessed portions form a convenient point at which to turn the frames.

Bysecuring the guide-rails C D tothe frame Ain such manner that they have an upward inclination I provide at each side of the device inclined planes which facilitate moving the frames backward against the frame.

As previously stated, while I have designed my device for the special uses above indicated, it is apparent that it is equally susceptible of use by photographers and advertisers in displaying samples, cards, advertising matter, and merchandise.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a device for displaying photographs and the like, the combination with a framesupport having upper and lower parallel curved guide-rails extending outward therefrom, of frames slidably mounted on said guide-rails, substantially as described.

2. In a device for displaying photographs and the like, the combination with a framesupport having upper and lower parallel curved guide-rails, extending outward therefrom, of frames slidably and rotatably m0unted on said guide-rails, substantially as dcscribed.

3. In a device for displaying photographs and the like, the combination with a framesupport having upper and lower parallel curved guide-rails extending outward and upward therefrom, of frames slidably mounted on said guide-rails, substantially as dcscribed.

Ll. In a device for displaying photographs and the like, the combination with a framesupport having upper and lower parallel and approximately semicircular guide-rails extending outward therefrom and provided at their outer central portions with recesses, of frames slidably and rotatably mounted on said rails, substantially as described.

5. In a device for displaying photographs and the like, the combination with a framesupport having upper and lower parallel guide-rails extending outward therefrom and provided on their inner surfaces with guidegrooves, of frames slidably and rotatably mounted 011 said guide-rails and having centrally of their upper and lower ends headed projections adapted to work in said guidegrooves, substantially as described.

G. In a device for displaying photographs and the like, the combination with a framesupport having upper and lower parallel and approximately semicircular guide-rails extending outward and upward therefrom, and having in their outer central portions recesses and on their inner surfaces guide-grooves, of frames slidably and rotatably mounted 011 said guide-rails and having headed projections adapted to work in said guide-grooves, substantially as described.

7. In a device for displaying photographs and the like, the combination with a framesupport having upper and lower parallel and approximately semicircular guide-rails extending outward therefrom, of frames slidably mounted on said guide-rails and a cover for locking and protecting all of the frames IOO IIO

at one side of the frame-support-substanta11y as described.

8. The combination with a frame-support having upper and lower parallel guide-rails extending outward therefrom, of frames slid-` ably and rotatably/mounted onvsaid rai1s,'com prsing side and end frame-pieces, cross-strips extending between said side frame-pieces, apertured clips formed on the end frame-pieces Io and cross-strips, and means for attaching a photograph to said clips, substantially as described. .I Y Y In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD SYLVESTER.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. NORRIS,

KEEFER. 

